In modern life, commuting is a way of life. Many people spend long hours commuting, either to and from work, or to and from meetings, or even to and from vacations. Other people find it necessary to enter and leave a vehicle many times each day. This is especially so for many salespeople.
Many people, especially elderly people, find it difficult and uncomfortable to enter and exit a vehicle, while other people, due to back problems, or the like, find it uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time in a vehicle. It has been stated that entry and exit from a passenger car is one of the most varied physical activities people perform on a daily basis. According to various ergonomic analyses, the body has to perform an articulated motion that includes practically every bone and muscle. The shifting of the weight has to be synchronized with a simultaneous twisting and bending of the back, while bending the knees, tilting the head, and giving support by use of the hands. This task is usually performed with no defined hand grips, so the passenger has to improvise the sequence of this maneuver. Furthermore, the planning of the entry into and exit from the vehicle has to be based on assessment of distances, loads, and one's manual abilities. The observations necessary to accomplish the maneuver are in real time, and differ with each car, location (in regard to the geometry and qualities of the surface on which one stands or is about to stand), and the lighting conditions. Still further, the ability to apply muscular power simultaneously and with accuracy has to bring into account the reduced abilities of a growing segment of the population in need of transportation.
For these reasons, the art has included some devices for facilitating entry into and exit from vehicles, such as automobiles, and the like. However, these devices suffer several drawbacks. For example, some of the known devices are not secured in place and may move while in use. This can not only be uncomfortable, but it can be distracting. Still further, some of these known devices are actually uncomfortable, especially if used for long periods. That is, while they may facilitate entry or exiting from a vehicle, they may not be comfortable to use, especially if the user must exert some effort to maintain the device in proper position.
In contemporary car design, there are many trends of negative impact on the ease of entry and exit. The overall height of vehicles has been reduced continually so that the setting is lower and is tilted back more. The headroom is lower and the door clearance is also tighter. The materials and configuration of car seats have changed with the purpose of increasing the friction between a passenger and the seat. Therefore, the confinement of a passenger is increased. This means that once the body weight is fully resting on the seat, one has to twist into a forward position in spite of the "bucket seat" design and the use of roughly upholstery fabrics.
Therefore, there is a need for a seat accessory that is secure and comfortable, yet facilitates entry into and exit from a vehicle, especially modern vehicles.
While fulfilling the just-mentioned needs, the accessory should also be inexpensive to purchase and easy to fit into a vehicle. The device should also be easy to maintain. Otherwise, the device may meet with resistance to commercialization.